Adventure, July 1, 1928 — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 GEORGE ALLAN ENGLAND ~ man’s daughter. That, by joycus, makes it harder. Hard to cut any dingdoes with them kind.” “What ship was it, did she say? What happened?” “Yacht Viajero. Know more later. She’s one jim slicker, all righto,” the cap- tain continued. “You can tell by the look of her figgerhead she ain’t no ornery female.” “Clew up, sir!’ ventured Leadspitter, emitting much smoke. “We ain’t goin’ to misstay none, by lettin’ this here get personal, as you might say. If she was the Queen o’ Sheba herself—”’ “Yes, I know. But—well, we got to keep a sharp lookout and not run on no reefs. These here kind o’ women, they ain’t so easy as some. We got to re- member that.” “Oh, I guess the pair of us can handle her,” the mate opined. “I ain’t worryin’ none. Once we get her old man slipped overside, we'll tackle the next job. One thing to a time, that’s me.” “Right! Well—fix him up any time now and let’s get it done with.” Bohannon withdrew to the dead man’s cabin, while Leadspitter, grumbling, sum- moned Boatswain Saltash. “Bosun,” he ordered, “‘get some old togal’n cloth in the sail locker an’ sew up the stiff. Be sure you ballast him good, too. Quick as you’re ready, we'll heave him.” “Yes, sir,’ answered the old P. I, and twisted his stringy gray mustache. “Couple o’ prayer books ’Il do, sir?” “Put in a bible, too, for full measure. I reckon he was a pretty good man, an’ it takes a lot to keep a good man down!” On which jest, both grinning, they terminated the interview. Leadspitter continued smoking. The boatswain de- parted to busy himself with preparations for the burial at sea. Bohannon meantime, was searching the body. His eye was the eye of a crocodile, his smile that of a hyena. Into his pocket he slipped some thirty dollars in bills and silver, of which he relieved the corpse. “Here, by God,” he muttered, “is a little jack I don’t have to share up with Leadspitter. And what’s the devilish use of lettin’ this old stiff keep it? Loto’ good it’d do him, where he’s goin’!”’ The dead man’s watch and a few papers he laid aside, to give the girl. Then, matters seeming in good train, he went back to his own cabin once more for another drink or two. The China Girl meantime, with a fair and following breeze, was logging off the knots, shortening the long sea miles that lay between her and the Horn. —— a i. A | TO BE CONTINUED comicloooks.com